Bible: Deut 23

Purity in Public Worship

23:1A manwith crushed1or severed genitals2may notenterthe assemblyof the Lord.323:2A person of illegitimatebirth4 may notenterthe assemblyof the Lord; to the tenthgenerationno onerelated to him may do so.5

Purity in Personal Hygiene

23:9Whenyou go outas an armyagainstyour enemies, guardyourselves against anythingimpure.1523:10Ifthereis someoneamong you whoisimpurebecause of some nocturnalemission,16he must leavethe camp; he may notreenteritimmediately.23:11Wheneveningarriveshe must washhimself with waterand then at sunsethe may reenterthe camp.

23:12You are to have a place outsidethe campto serveas a latrine.1723:13You must have a spadeamongyour other equipmentand whenyou relieve yourself18outsideyou must dig a holewith the spade19 and then turnand coveryour excrement.2023:14Forthe Lordyour Godwalksabout in the middleof your campto deliveryouand defeat21your enemiesfor you. Therefore your campshould be holy, so that he does notseeanything indecent22among you and turnawayfrom you.

Purity in the Treatment of the Nonprivileged

23:15You must notreturn an escapedslavetohis masterwhen he hasrunawaytoyou.2323:16Indeed, he may liveamongyou in any placehe chooses, in whichever of your villages24he prefers; you must notoppresshim.

Purity in Cultic Personnel

23:17There must neverbea sacred prostitute25among the young women26of Israelnora sacred male prostitute27among the youngmen28 of Israel.23:18You must neverbringthe payof a female prostitute29or the wageof a male prostitute30into the templeof the Lordyour Godin fulfillment of anyvow, forbothof these are abhorrentto the Lordyour God.

Respect for Others’ Property

23:19You must notcharge interest ona loanto your fellowIsraelite,31 whether onmoney, food, or anythingelse that has been loanedwith interest.23:20You may lendwith interestto a foreigner, but notto your fellowIsraelite; if you keepthis command the Lordyour Godwill blessyou in allyou undertakein the landyouare aboutto enterto possess.23:21Whenyou makea vowto the Lordyour Godyou must notdelayin fulfillingit, for otherwise he32 will surely33holdyou accountableas a sinner.3423:22Ifyou refrainfrom making a vow, it will notbesinful.23:23Whatever you vow, you must be carefulto dowhatyou have promised, such as what you have vowedto the Lordyour Godas a freewill offering.23:24Whenyou enterthe vineyardof your neighboryou may eatas many grapesas you please,35but you must nottake awayany ina container.3623:25Whenyou gointo the ripe grainfields of your neighboryou may pluckoff the kernelswith your hand,37but you must notusea sickleonyour neighbor’sripe grain.